Railway automatic switch



C. LARIDOY.

RAILWAY AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION man F5811]. 1919.

1,304,329. Patented May 20, 1919.

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c ff d c. LARIDON. RAILWAY AUTOMATIC SWITQH.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. II, 1919.

Patented May '20, 1919.

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consmn'r LABIDON, on nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN.

' RAILWAY AUToMATIoswI'rcH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 20, 1919.

Application filed February 17, 1919. Serial No. 277,387.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GoNsTAN-T' LARIDON, a subject of the King of Belgium, residing at Detroit, OO-tllltY of Wayne, State of Michigan, have lnvented a new and useful Improvement in Railway Automatic Switches,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic street car switches of a mechanical type adapted to be thrown by devices on the car.

Of course devices of this character are not broadly new but the improvement herein claimed is thought to be a considerable advance over previous devices in simplicity of construction and mechanical design. It embodies a snapping action to either position after the throwing of the switch has beenvinitiated by the proper devices. This snapping action not only insures the reliable operation of the switch every time but also serves to lock the cross-over section in either of the selected positions, 1

The devices used on the ground and car are both simple and of such a character as to obstruct neither the ground nor the car in any serious manner. The advantages, functions, etc., can be better explained after a detailed description has been had.

In the drawings, 1

Figure 1 is a plan view of a track and a branch line showing the switch devices which are upon the ground.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary-side elevation of a street car partly in section, showing the switch devices used on the car and showing a section through the bed of the track and the switch devices.

Fig. 3 is asmall plan View of theca-r truck showing the trip arms and rock shaft.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the track bed through the box containing the switch devices.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the switch box partly in a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the trip arms.

a designates the main line of track which branches off to the left ofFig. 1 into a curved stretch. The cross-over from the main run a to the curved stretch of track I) is accomplished by a pair'of pivoted cross-over rails, one from the straight line and one from the curved line of track. This, of course, could be built in the customary way of having.

both the cross-over rails sections of the curved line of track. These two swinging 1cross-over rails are connected by the cross ar 0. i

The automatic switch is of extreme simplicity. It involves simply a four-armed actuator "d, all the arms being substantially of the same length, radially disposed and at equally distant pointsabout the center. One arm is pivoted to the cross bar- 0, the opposite arm forms part of a pair of toggle arms designated 6. The actuator cl is pivoted fixedly at the center 'so the toggle. arms are of single action principle, that is, they are fixed at one end and spread at the opposite end where they connect with a plunger stem enlarging into a piston f guided in a cylinder 9 against the resistance of the spring 71.. At the ends of the two remaining and opposed arms of the actuator are connected the draw links 2'.

Obviously when the draw link that stands advanced is pulled, it tends to rotate the actuator upon its center until the dead center line of the toggle arms 6' is reached. Thereupon the toggle arms and actuator, and the drawlinks, are snapped into their fifnal position by the exertion of the spring h expanding after the center line has been passed. This is the characteristic'action of a springresisted toggle thrown by the center line. This, of course, swings the cross bar 0 and the two cross-over arms quickly into the final position, either one of which is select ed. The great usefulness of this arrangement is that it serves to positively complete the switch action although the action of the trip devicewhich has initiated this switch action may not be as positive as might be desired, due'to accident, improper calculation of distance, or other causes. A very useful 'featureof this arrangement isthat it locks the cross-over in the selected position or substantially looks it for all intents and purposes. 'Thestrength of the spring is sufvficient to prevent the cross-over accidentally swinging back from the selected position.

Thereis absolutely no danger of the car splitting the switch, which is quite a common occurrence at ordinary switches. H

The devices that have just been referred to are located in aslight depression in the bed of the track and are inclosed in a switch box it which may be given suitable covering to in the best possible way exclude water and dirt. Through recesses in the top of this switch box are a pair of bell crank levers j swinging in vertical planes, pivoted on a cross rod is. These bell crank levers have broad faces which look very much like the pedals used on old-fashioned organs as far as contour is concerned. These pedals are shielded at each side by sloping side rails m which have a gradual convexity reaching the maximum height of about that of the edal opposite the point of the pedals maximum height. Consequently when a vehicle passes over this cover plate and over these convex rails m, it will not disturb the pedals.

The tripping of the switch is effected by the trip arms a and 0 set fixedly on the rock shaft 10 carried on the truck of the car. Each arm comprises a cylinder 9, the plunger member 1", yoking a roller 8 and a spring I, for yieldingly projecting the lunger. This construction is in case the roller accidentally strikes an obstruction the trip devices will not be injured but have a ca pacity for considerable telescoping movement to pass over the obstruction. The rock shaft is connected by a crank and a link 'v with a hand lever w which may be located in the vestibule of the car. This is provided with a notched segment m over which the lever swings and in the notches of which it may be engaged by the detent 3/ togive three positions; the central, neutral position, the forward, or the rear position.

By selecting the forward position the motorman knows that he will trip the switch pedal at the right if that needs tripping, by reason of the osition of the crossover, and by selecting the rear position the motorman knows that the cross-over will, be so, placed that it will trip the left hand pedal v lever.

The automatic switch can be disconnected very easily by simply taking out the screw w and then the cross-over is perfectly free to be thrown by a inch bar, or for that matter, it can always be so thrown if the switch is in working condition.

lVhat I claim is: p

1. An automatic switch, having in, combination with a swinging cross-over, means on the car and in connection with the crossover for initiating the swing of the cross: over in either one of twoselected, positions, and means for assisting in completing the final portion of such swing and holding it in the selected position.

2. An automatic switch, having in combi nation with a swinging cross-over, means on the car and in connection with the crossover for initiating the swing of the crossover to either of two positions, and yield Gopiesot this patent may he obtained for five cents each,v by addressing the ing means for assisting in finishing the swing of the cross-over to either one of the selected positions and holding it in such selected position.

3. Anautomatic switch, having in combination with a swinging cross-over, means in connection with the crossover and on the car for initiating the swing of the crossover to either of two selected positions, and mechanism including a spring operating on the rinciple of throwing over a dead cen ter line for assisting in completing the swing of the cross-over and holding the cross-over in the selected position.

4. An automatic switch, havin in combination with a swinging cross-over, means 011 the car and in connection with the crossover for initiating the swing of the crossover to either of two selected pair of toggle arms whose movement past their center line is resisted by a spring and connected to the cross-over for assisting in finishing the swing of the cross-over and holding the crossover in selected position.

positions, a

5. An automatic switch, having in combiover to either of the two selectable positions,

a cross bar for the cross-over, a lever connected thereto and fixedly pivoted to act as one of a pair of toggle arms, a second lever acting as the second member of the toggle, and a spring for resisting these two lovers passing their dead. center line whereby this toggle armand spring serve to assist in completing the movement of the cross-over and hold the cross-over in one of the select,- able positions.

6. An automaticswitch, having in combi nation with a swinging cross-over, an actuator, draft means connected with each side of theactuator which is pivoted at its center to swing the cross-over from one to the, other of two selectable positions, pedals above the bed of the track connected with the draft means and alternately raised and lowered according to the action of the actuator, and; a pair of toggle arms in connection; with the actuator having a spring resisting their movement past a dead center, said toggle arms serving to aid the action of the cross-over after they have passed their center and holding the crossover in its selected position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on the 7th. day of. February, 1919.

CONSTANT LARIDONQ Washington, I]. 03" 

